Nepali Cooking Class in Kathmandu: Learn Local Dishes

Shop the market where locals buy, then cook what you find

A three-hour cooking class in Kathmandu's Thamel district that starts at a local market where you pick fresh ingredients alongside Nepalis, then moves to a centrally located cooking school where you prepare and eat a full Nepali meal under chef guidance. The class includes all food, market shopping, and an English-speaking guide with hotel pickup arranged.

Step-by-step itinerary

Local market visit and cooking class

• Visit local market for ingredients
• Learn about Nepali spices and techniques
• Prepare Nepali feast at cooking school

The experience

The class opens at a local market: the place where Kathmandu residents gather their ingredients daily. You walk through the stalls with your guide and chef, learning to identify the produce, spices and staples that define Nepali cooking, then select what you'll cook that day. This is not a tour of the market. It is the working part of the class, and it teaches you what to look for and how Nepalis shop for food.

Back at the cooking school in central Thamel, you move into the kitchen and make your own Nepali feast. The chef walks you through techniques specific to the region: how spices are used, how dishes come together, what makes the food taste the way it does. You are not watching a demonstration. You are doing the work, using the ingredients you picked, learning by handling them. The meal you produce is what you eat, so lunch and dinner are built into the class itself.

The guide speaks English throughout, and hotel pickup is included, so the logistics of getting there are handled. The class runs three hours and suits any fitness level. Snacks and breakfast are also provided, so you leave having eaten well and having learned something you can actually cook at home.

What’s included

• Market shopping for fresh ingredients with the guide and chef.
• all food including breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner prepared during the class.
• chef instruction in Nepali cooking techniques.
• English-speaking guide.
• hotel pickup.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 13:30 and 16:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (11 to 80 years) · Under 11: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8 · max 6 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Epic Adventures Pvt. Ltd.

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to learn Nepali cooking by doing it yourself rather than watching, and if you want to understand how locals shop for and prepare food. The market visit at the start teaches you what ingredients to look for, which makes the cooking part make sense. You are not just following a recipe, you are learning the whole process from ingredient to plate.

Traveler reviews

4.88★★★★★★★★★★

26 verified traveler reviews

5 ★23

4 ★3

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What kind of Nepali dishes do I learn to cook in this class?

The cooking class covers dishes that are central to Nepali cuisine, using the fresh ingredients you select at the market. The exact menu varies based on what is available and what the chef decides to teach that day, but the focus is on traditional Nepali food made with techniques you can replicate.

Do I need cooking experience to join this class?

No. The class is designed for all levels and all physical fitness levels. The chef teaches you the techniques as you go, so you learn by doing rather than by already knowing how.

Is the market visit part of the class, or is it separate?

The market visit is the opening part of the class itself. You go to the market with the guide and chef to select the ingredients you will cook with, so it teaches you what to look for and how to shop for Nepali food rather than being a sightseeing stop.

What is included in the price of the cooking class?

The class includes all food (breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner), the market shopping of ingredients, the chef's instruction, the English-speaking guide, and hotel pickup. Gratuities are not included.

How long does the class take, and when does it start?

The class runs three hours total. The exact start time is arranged when you book, and hotel pickup is included to get you to the cooking school in Thamel.

Where is the cooking school located?

The cooking school is centrally located in Thamel, Kathmandu's main tourist neighborhood. Hotel pickup is included, so you do not need to arrange your own transport to get there.